


A Favor

by EmilliaGryphon



Series: Guardians of the Galaxy One Shots [19]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, gotg
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Infinity War, Infinity War spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 01:54:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14683986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilliaGryphon/pseuds/EmilliaGryphon
Summary: AU in which Gamora asks Rocket, not Peter, to kill her if Thanos should ever get to her.





	A Favor

"I need to ask a favor of you,” Gamora whispered, hearing the pitter-patter of Rocket’s feet against the metal ship. She fiddled with that knife she loathed, its red and silver helm gleaming like blood against stone. A sight she’d seen many times before. Memories threatened to pull her back but Rocket’s incredulous stare brought her back.

“What kind of favor?” He demanded, crossing his arms. She sighed, standing and gazed out the windows of their new ship, the Benetar. Gamora pondered at the passing stars, _how could a galaxy so near the brink of destruction be so…calm?_

“I need you to promise me….that if Thano’s gets me….” She looked down at his skeptical eyes and took a deep a breath. “That you’ll….that you’ll kill me.”

“Ha! Hahahaha!” Precocious laughter grated on her ears. “Kill you? You want me to kill you?”

“If Thanos gets me, yes.” Rocket unfurled is arms and planted them on his hips with a switch of his tail, dismissing the significance of her request in an instant.

“Good, cuz he ain’t gonna get you.” Gamora’s eyes narrowed and Rocket sighed, as though explaining his insane thought process to her was somehow irritatingly inconvenient to him. “I already told Quill, we’re gonna run. We’re gettin’ as far away from him as we can.”

“Rocket,” Gamora hissed, eyes darting to ensure the coast was clear, “we are not running away. The galaxy needs us, Thanos must be stopped.”

“Let the Revengers or whoever handle that,” he shook his paw. “If he wants to kill half the humies that’s his problem. Not ours.”

“Rocket I’m serious!” She snapped, how selfish can one be?!

“So am I!” He snarled, red eyes flashing on the dimly lit ship. “You don’t have to face him Gamora, you don’t always gotta be the hero all the time!” She watched him slump against the side of the ship and pick nervously at his fur. “Sometimes there’s no shame in running, trust me I’ve done it plenty of times.” She frowned, considering. R _unning is probably the only way he’s survived this long,_ she realized with a start. But her mind was made up, she always knew this was a possibility. She’d prepared herself for it time and time again. And now it was coming to fruition. Gamora rested her hands on her knees and leaned forward looking down at him.

“Rocket, please…I need you to promise me.” His ears twitched as he glared at her.

“Why don’t you ask Quill, or Drax?”  I knew you’d ask that her stomach curled with dread.

“Because if Thanos gets me in an instant I need someone with a gun and….and I couldn’t ask it of Peter,” she looked away, imagining the look on his face if she had. _Those soft eyes that somehow remained so gently despite Yondu’s mistreatment his entire life, the way he’d shake his head and beg her to relieve him of the promise. He’d already killed his own father…already lost so much…harbored too much pain and watched those he’d loved die. I cannot ask it of him…besides…even if he did promise. There’s no way I’d be certain he’d actually do it._ Shaking the image from her mind he turned back to Rocket.

“But your fine askin’ me?” She opened her mouth to respond but he held his finger up.

“I’m not,” she clarified, swallowing the bile that rose in her stomach. “…but you’re the only one who can do it.”  Rocket folded his arms once more, avoiding her eyes.

“Your probably right,” he finally whispered, still looking away. “But what makes you think I’d really do it if it came down to that?”

“Because,” she murmured carefully, “it’s what you were created to do.” Rocket’s head snapped up, those animalistic eyes staring daggers into her. His shoulders shook. Gamora flinched: Eyes reflecting sharp as scalpels, she _knew_ that look. _An agony that mirrored her own.  Denial, fighting to push back every instinct._ Gamora knew all about fighting against oneself. The silence between them threatened to suffocate her. _But I can’t ask Peter…this is the only way. The only way._ She repeated the mantra to herself as she had these last few hours of realization. Rocket smirked, forcing a laugh.

“So your using me for my dark and tortured past?” He shifted his weight, defensively folding his arms over himself once more. “I though you me and Quill had a Truamatic Childhood Pact never to pull that kind a shit on each other.”

“I know,” Gamora bit back her inpatients.  “Listen Rocket if Thano’s gets that final stone and snaps his fingers….Groot could be one of the ones who dies. Half the universe!”

“Oh now your blackmailing me with Groot's life? That’s just great!”

“Is that a chance your willing to take?” Gamora demanded, anger seeping through.

“You know it might come as a surprise to you,” he growled, “but I don’t actually enjoy shooting my friends.” " _I’m sorry,"_ Rocket’s words echoed in her mind as she had fell to the floor of the ship. "I _can only afford to lose one friend today."_ Gamora knelt down, looking him head on.

“Please Rock,” she beseeched. “I need you to do it. Please.”  She followed his eyes as he considered and then, hanging on a moment he turned to her, nodding curtly. A sick relief swept through her.

—

The odd thing about being the galaxies greatest assassin was that for all the training, all the combat and killing, the skills of fighting failed her when she needed it most. Under Thanos’s grip, all of the battles she ever fought seemed to melt away in her mind and she could not remember how to get away. His laughter wafted around the ruin of the Collectors lab like a foul smell and she watched Peter spring up from his hiding spot. _No!! Peter! Please, don’t! This wasn’t part of the plan! Rocket! Roc…_ She looked down instinctively hopping the raccoonoid would keep his word.

“Hey!” A hissing snarl answered as Rocket stepped forward, gun poised straight at her.

“What is this?” Thanos demanded in disgusted. “I expected a boyfriend or something but this,” his other hand gestured to where Rocket stood. “What is this?” " _Someone who’s going to blow your plan sky high, flarknard!_  " Gamora imagined every possible comeback the raccoonoid could conjure. She waited, and waited, and watched the raccoonoid staring up at the mad titan mortal terror smacked across his face. His gun rattled in his grip.

“Rocket….” She whispered, trying to catch his gaze. Peter’s blonde-brown hair rose from the smashed container, eyes blazing wide with rage.

“You treacherous….”

“No Peter!” She shouted, “don’t blame him! I asked him!”   _Betrayal. Anguish…sorrow,_ Gamora’s heart sank with each emotion as Peter stood, fully upright, his own pistols still by his side. Rocket’s eyes did not waver, still plastered to Thanos’s looming face.

“No….not an animal,” the mad titan appraised. “Not anymore. An experiment, something that was created.” He shook his head, “such a waste of resources.” Gamora tried to shake herself free, without result.

“Don’t listen to him! Rocket! Rocket look at me! Do it! Do it quickly!”

“An experiment,” Thanos mused. “It is because of freaks like you resources become so depleted so quickly.” Gamora was forced to bend as he leaned forward towards Rocket. “Tell me, how does it feel? To know you are a parasite, draining the sustenance that real living things need. ”

“Rocket!” Gamora tried once more, “Rocket please!” But she only saw him trembling, claws holding the gun in a death grip. Thanos laughed once more, threatening to melt her spine.

“Go on,” Thano’s boomed “she asked, didn’t she?” Rocket’s eyes darted to Gamora and back once more. “You can’t do it can you? A _failed_ experiment. Unable to fulfill your only purpose. Pathetic.”

“Rocket!” Gamora shouted through her tears of rage. “Rocket look at me! You are loved! You are loved!” Peter had been the first to say it to her. Those three simple words that had changed her forever. And she had said them to him in turn whenever he forgot. Maybe, maybe Rocket needed to hear it now.  “Rocket! You are loved! You are loved!” A new mantra this one for him. She had one for Peter too of course, words she always whispered to him. But those she kept in the most secret places of her heart. "You are so loved!" He looked at her warily, shifting his stance and grip on his weapon. P _lease Rocket…you can do this. I need you to do this. You are loved. You are not a monster! No more then I am! Please…please._

“Gamora!” Peter’s voice caught her as she freefell through her own terror. _Stay down!_ She begged him wordlessly.

“Rocket…” the raccoonoid shook his head, tears beginning to rim behind his eyes. His shoulders heaved for breath and she watched the gun tremble in his shaking grip.

“Please!” She screamed. Watching him fight within himself. “Rocket,” Gamora suppressed her voice in to calmness. It had always been a strength of hers. A quiet and constant one. “Rocket…if you can’t do it, it’s alright. You may not be able to,” she realized, “but Subject 89P13 can.” _He could do it, easily, without a second thought._ Rocket blinked, his face twitching and twisting with a desperate plea. Gamora watched his hand squeeze the trigger though it pained at him. Tears leaking down his face wetting his fur.

“Gamora!” Peter’s pleading broke her heart as Thano’s weight crushed down upon her.

“ROCKET DO IT PLEASE!” She watched him give in to it, the impulse she had relied on. The conditioning to kill, hardwired into him from the scientists who tortured him. Only this time Gamora saw him summon that instinct himself. On his own free will. He looked at her one final time and closed his eyes shut. He shot. Gamora’s stomach dropped

_Blub, blub, blub._

“AHAHA!” Thano’s laughter roared over them, Rocket’s gun clattered to the ground. “You really think I’d let you kill my daughter?” Gamora watched as he lifted the gauntlet into the air. Purple energy swirling around and lifting Rocket up into the air before them. Thanos clenched his fist and Rocket’s whole body arched backward in pain, electric lights sparking from the bolts below his collar bones and from his back. Every hair upon him stood upright and Gamora sniffed the smell of burning fur. His maw opened in a soundless scream. Thano’s laughter echoed in her soul as he flicked his wrist. Rocket’s body curled in on itself, his cybernetics cracking and fizzing while he spasmed.

“Stop it!” She thrashed, seeing herself and Nebula in that agony. “Stop it! Let him go!” The titan leered down at her and released. Rocket fell with a dull thud. The world swam before her, as she felt herself get dragged backward.

“PETER!” She screamed, reaching out.

“Gamora!”

“Gam’s!”  The two of them shouted, both reaching out for her. She could only watch as Peter rushed forward. The last thing she saw was his face, yearning and furious and frightful.

“Gams!” Rocket cried, reaching for the place Gamora had just stood.  He emptied the contents of his stomach out on to the ground, _I...shot her....Pull the trigger. Get the reward. Refuse, get shocked. At least I made the call? No. it doesn’t matter…._ The experiments of Halfworld still programmed into his mind. 

“What are we gonna do?” Peter’s frantic pleading woke him from his mind. Rocket tried to focus himself, gathering his weapon. A new emotion took hold, this one too was born of his torture. One he knew well:  _Anger_. But this time it would not be for destruction or even thieving.

“We’re gonna get her back Quill.” He snarled, panting. He cocked his gun. “We’re gonna get her back.”

_**The End** _


End file.
